Propelled bathing device



Nov. 13, 1928.

J. HALL PROPELLED BATHING- DEVICE Filed Nov. 1927 JzzoJozz Hal! Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

' UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE- JUDSON HALL, OF HARTLAND, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH: TO BENJAMIN F.

BAYHA. AND ONE-FOURTH T HERBERT A. BELL, BOTH OF MILWAUKEE, 'WISCON-.

SIN.

PROPELLED BATHING DEVICE.

Appfi cation fiJed November 7', 1927 Serial No. 231,407.

This invention relates to improvements in apropelled bathing device, and more particularly to a self-propelled device adapted to carry or pull a body or bodies over the surface of the water. 1 e

The invention contemplates more especially the provision of a: new and novel self-propelled device highly desirable for use in bathing or water sports, and which may be put to many other and varied uses as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

Many and Varied devices adaptable for water sports have been heretofore known but in most instances these devices were not selfpropelled, but were made to be towed by water craft or actuated directly by the user. Moreover, in most .cases,-the se devices were designed especially to retain all of the larger portion of the users body out of the water; In the use of former water sport devicesactuated by towing or the like, the direct control of the device was in the'hands' of th tower, andthe useror rider ofthe device had no way of directly controlling the maneuvers of the same.

With the above noted defects and objections in view, the present-invention is designed to provide a new, novel, and buoyant craft highly desirable for use in bathing and water sports, wherein the user has full and complete control of the device at all times.

. The invention also seeks to provide anew and novel pontoon device adapted to permit the attachment thereto of a portable. driving element; I

Another object ofthe present inventidn' isto provide a device of the character described adapted to draw a users body directlythrough the water. 7 4

A further objectof this invention is to provide adevice whichi'ssafe at all times and capable of adequately supporting a 'bodyor bodies even when the device'is not in motion. lVhile some of the more salient features and characteristics of a, device embodying this invention have been above pointed outothers will become apparent from the following disclosures.

The invention includes these and other fee tures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and shown in a preferred form in .the drawings, as more particularly indicated by theclaims.

In the drawings Figure-1 is a side view in elerationof a deviceembodying'principles of the present invention, showing the same inoperative position.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of thedcvicc in operative position.

Figure 3 is a. vertical sectional view, with parts omitted and parts in elevation, taken substantially along the line IIIIII of Fig ure 2.

As shown in the drawings: In the illustrated embodiment of this invention thereis: shown apair of spaced buoyant members or pontoons 1 and 2. respectivch'.

These pontoons are more or less of a boatshaped form to aid them in more etlicientlv traveling through the water. Connecting the pontoons 1 and 2 and rigidly maintainmg the same in spaced relationship is a beam or yoke 3, an end of which is attached to each pontoon adjacent the mid-portion thereof.

The yoke 3 is constructed of any desired material. but preferably of a floatable material. It is to be noted that this yoke c tends upwardly and forwardly, thereby providing an arcuate forward under surface 4.

and a sloping upper portion 5 at the rear thereof for purposes that will later appear. A substantially horizontal forward face (3 is left upon the upper surface of the yoke 3.

.The face 6 is recessed as at 7 preferably adjacent the mid portion thereof to provide a sul'istantially narrow shelf 8.

' The shelf 8 providcsa suitable seat for a driving element 9 which, in this instance, is shown as an outboard motor of standard construction. Secured to the motor 9 or to the beam 3, if dcsired, in' any suitable manner. is a cross-bar or handle 10 which is grasped by the user of the "device. If so desired,- the handle, of course, maybe removably mounted. thereby permitting the use of a standard out- -board motor.

In using the present invention the user or rider grasps the handle 10 as indicated by the dotted lines in Figures'l and 2, the motor having been started. The motor. therefore. will pull the device through the water and the users body will be towed directly through the water. It is to be noted that the handle is disposed in close relationship to the motor whereby the user may properly control the motor with one hand at any and all times. When traveling through the water the areaate under surface 4 on the beam 3 tends to.

eliminate unnecessary impedance due to waves, rough water, or the like, The sloping rear portion 5 effectivelyshields the anterior portion of the users body from the irritatingeffects of rough water. a

It has been found desirable to lock the steering control of the motor so that the device would travel in a straight line. The user may then turn or maneuver the device at wall by using his body as a rudder. Of course, if

so desired, the motor rudder 11 -maybe util-. ized for-steering purposes, and 1f such-1s the L case. it is preferable to reverse the rudder ator will grasp the same, there is mounte'd a spring contact button or lever 12. When grasped by the riders hand, the button 12 will close the circuit through the wires 14 by contacting with any desirable form of contact disposed as indicated at 13. The wires 14 may be connected in the magneto circuit, so that if the circuit is broken between contacts 12 and 13 by the riders releasing his grasp upon the handle and permitting the contact 12 to spring away from thecontact 13, the motor will stop. Obviously, in place of the contact shown herein any simple control mechanism may be substituted such as speed control, controls to varythe pitch of the propeller blades, etc.

To permit the rider to safely remove both hands from the handle 10, a safety belt 15 is provided which may embrace the riders mi dportion and is preferablysecured to the yoke 5 as shown at 16. Upon the stems of the pontoons 1 and 2, handles 17 are provided 'to permit the device to accommodate several riders at one time. The pontoons may also be provided with safety beltssimilar to the belt 15. if so'desired. It is tobe understood that riders may also be carried directly upon the pontoons 1 and 2, or that small'boats may be substituted therefor" without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present'im' vention. a

From the foregoingit is apparent that I have provided a novel device adapted to be self-propelled or towed as desired.'which is safe, easy to manipulate and which when self-propelled enables the user to have full released I In testimony whereof I have hereunto sub- \Vaukesh'a control thereover." Moreover, the device described herein is strong, durable, efiicient 111 its action, and may be economically manufact ured. 1

'I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details Of-COHStlllCtlOIl maybe varied through a vidsrange without departing from the principles of this invention and I, therefore, ,do'not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitatedbylthejprior'art. v

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a pair of buoyant members, means connecting said members, a handle associated with, said means,'-a handle mounted upon each of'said members, said handles being 'graspable by users of said device so'tha t said userswillbe towed thereby. lying directly in the liquid floating said device, and means onsaid device for imparting motion thereto. y

' 2. In a device of the class described, a pair of; pontoons, a yoke connecting the same,

driving means for sai'd device, a handle on saidyoke, and meanson said handle graspable by the user of sa1d dev1ce, sa1d means being operable therefor when released to stop the forward. motion of said driving meansi V 7 3. In a device of the character described, a pair-of spaced pontoons, a yoke connecting said pontoons, integral means on said yoke for mounting a driving element thereon, means to be grasped by a user of said device so as to be towed thereby, and means to retain said user connected to said device in the event the grasp of said user is released.

4. In a devicerof the character described, a pair of spaced pontoons, a yoke connecting said pontoons, inte ral means on said yoke for the ,mountin o a driving'element there on, a handleto e grasped by, a user of said device, and means onsaid handle for controlllng said driving element andv also graspable bysaid user, said means being operable.

to stop saiddri'vin g element when the grasp .of saiduser is released.- I

5. In combination, a buoyant unit, propulsive means mounted thereon, means on said unit graspable by a'user in such a manner that said user will ,be towedbehind said unit in the liquid floating" the same, means graspable by said user and operable when 3 released-to stop said propulsive means, and means for retalnlngjsaid user connected to said element when the jgraspof said user is scribed my name at Hartland, County, Wisconsin;

' Jonson HALL. 

